Newsletter of Town & Gown Players, Athens, Georgia

Celebrating Over 50 Continuous Years of Community Theater

May 2007

In This Issue

Second Stage Presents Broadway Bard
What's Coming at Town & Gown	Company Announces 2007-8 Season
Second Stage Wants You!	On Mainstage in June: The Trip to Bountiful
The Summer of Sorta Shakespeare	Board and Membership Meetings
Who's Serving on Your Board	Contact the Envoy

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Reservations (706) 208-TOWN (8696) · Lobby/Backstage (706) 548-3854

Mother's Day Special

Second Stage Presents

Broadway Bard

If you ask UGA professor Fran Teague whether an evening of Shakespeare and music means high culture, she sounds doubtful. "Cole Porter's lyrics can be pretty racy," she says, "and then we have the love-sick robot or the singing hyenas." She is talking about her latest project for Town & Gown Players, a musical revue called Broadway Bard. The show kicks off our Summer of Sorta Shakespeare Festival.

The closing performance falls on Mother's Day. Take your mom to lunch and the theater--even if she does already love you! (And a tip to those who aren't sure: Post-show ice cream seals the deal.)

Broadway Bard presents songs from musicals based on Shakespeare's plays. The first half draws on such familiar shows as Kiss Me, Kate and West Side Story. Teague says, "People know songs like 'I Hate Men' or 'One Hand, One Heart,' but those songs are also about key moments in The Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet."

The second act offers what Teague calls "oddities," adding, "We thought those numbers were too much fun to leave out." The Lion King uses Shakespeare indirectly, echoing Hamlet in its tale of lions and hyenas. Return to the Forbidden Planet (where that love-sick robot comes in) mixes The Tempest with science fiction and 60s rock and roll.

As a scholar, Teague published a book last year about Shakespearean musicals (Shakespeare and the American Popular Stage, Cambridge University Press). Now, with the help of friends, she is staging songs from some of the shows she studied in her work on the Bard's influence. "It was a great chance to work with friends who do musicals," she explains.

Her musical director, Justin Sanders, often works with Town & Gown and Oconee Youth Playhouse, as well as in the local band Victor Charlie. Singers include a bevy of Athens favorites: Amy Miller, Drew Doss, Brad Blythe and Christina LaFontaine. Rumors of a cameo by Teddy Ivey could not be confirmed at press time.

The performers' popularity has made rehearsals difficult, Teague says. "Justin was doing Thoroughly Modern Millie and Cinderella, Amy was performing at the Highlands Playhouse, Drew was producing Bye Bye, Birdie, Christina had a solo in the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's Evita, and as for Brad, he's trying to write his dissertation!" But she is delighted with the end result.

Broadway Bard runs just one weekend, with performances at 8:00 p.m. May 11 and 12 and at 2:00 p.m. May 13. The venue is the Athens Community Theater, located on Grady Avenue behind the historic Taylor-Grady House. Tickets are $5.00, and there is no reserved seating.

We have more information on the Summer of Sorta Shakespeare elsewhere in this issue.

What's Coming at T&G

May 2007
11	Second Stage presents the Summer of Sorta Shakespeare: Broadway Bard Curtain time 8:00 p.m., post-show reception on opening night Read the story
12	Broadway Bard Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
13	Broadway Bard Mother's Day performance Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
June 2007
22	Opening night of The Trip to Bountiful Curtain time 8:00 p.m., reception after the show Read the story
23	The Trip to Bountiful Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
24	The Trip to Bountiful matinee Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
25	Open auditions for Three Sisters See our next issue for details!
26	Open auditions for Three Sisters
28	The Trip to Bountiful Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
29	The Trip to Bountiful Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
30	The Trip to Bountiful Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
July 2007
1	The Trip to Bountiful matinee Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
6	Second Stage presents the Summer of Sorta Shakespeare: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) Curtain time 8:00 p.m., post-show reception on opening night Read the story
7	Wm. Shkspr. Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
8	Wm. Shkspr. matinee Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
27	Second Stage presents the Summer of Sorta Shakespeare: A Lear and Present Danger Curtain time 8:00 p.m., post-show reception on opening night Read the story
28	A Lear and Present Danger Curtain time 8:00 p.m.
29	A Lear and Present Danger Curtain time 2:00 p.m.
August 2007
TBA	Town & Gown's annual season-end banquet See our next issue for details!
September 2007
21-23, 27-30	Three Sisters on the Mainstage A wealth of details in future issues!
October 2007
TBA	Annual Meeting of Town & Gown Players More information to come

Another Spectacular Year:

Town & Gown Announces 2007-8 Shows

The board of directors has announced titles, dates and directors for the company's 2007-8 Mainstage season. Please note (fanfare goes here) that we are returning to our six-production schedule and that we'll have a Second Stage production (read the story) following each of the first five.

Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters kicks it off with performances on Sept. 21-23 and 27-30, 2007. John Ginn (Trinculo in last fall's Tempest) directs. Auditions: June 25-26, 2007. Watch the T&G web site and your Envoy for details as they become available.

The musical Godspell comes next, with veteran Derek Adams as director. Performance dates are Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 and Dec. 6-9, 2007. Auditions: Sept. 24-25, 2007.

The new calendar year starts with Eric Wagoner's production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Performances are scheduled for Feb. 8-10 and 14-17, 2008. Auditions: Dec. 3-4, 2007.

Christopher Durang in the spring: recipe for theatrical sublimity. Steven Carroll directs Beyond Therapy, with performances April 11-13 and 17-20, 2008. Auditions: Feb. 11-12, 2008.

Next comes a Broadway stalwart, The Fantasticks, directed by Julie Ramsey and Justin Sanders. Performances are set for June 13-15 and 19-22, 2008. Auditions: April 14-15, 2008.

And the season closes with The Miracle Worker. Scott Earle has signed on to direct. Performance dates are Aug. 15-17 and 21-24, 2008. Auditions: June 16-17, 2008.

Second Stage Wants YOU!

This Is Your Summons!

Proposals are now being accepted for the Town & Gown Players 2007-08 Second Stage season.

Second Stage shows will be performed October 5-7, 2007; December 14-16, 2007; February 22-24, 2008; April 25-27, 2008; and June 27-29, 2008.

Submissions for the October and December slots are due no later than August 1, 2007; all others must be in no later than December 1, 2007.

The December show will be picked to cater to a winter holiday crowd, so propose accordingly.

For more information or a proposal form, email Steven Carroll at secondstage@townandgownplayers.org. Hard copies of the form will be available in the theater lobby.

Coming to the Mainstage Next Month:

The Trip to Bountiful

Now in rehearsal is our season ender, Horton Foote's poignant drama The Trip to Bountiful. Director Marie Bruce, so far, has everything under control. The next Envoy will provide lots more details, but we can tell you this now:

Carrie Watts is living the twilight of her life trapped in an apartment in 1950s Houston, Texas, with a controlling daughter-in-law and a hen-pecked son. Her fondest wish--just once before she dies--is to revisit Bountiful, the small Texas town of her youth which she still refers to as "home." Unwilling to believe there is no Bountiful to go back to, Carrie manages to elude her warders and make her way towards home. With writing by Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies)--winner of two Academy Awards, an Emmy, and a Pulitzer Prize--this is the touching story of Mrs. Watts' successful escape and last trip home.

Second Stage Steps Outside the Lines:

The Summer of Sorta Shakespeare

You know, we hardly ever get through a summer without something like this happening. The hardy souls down at the Second Stage branch have put together a string of derivative productions to end the year and get everybody off balance in time for the banquet.

The Summer of Sorta Shakespeare commences with Broadway Bard on May 11-13. None of your "Hey-ho, the wind and the rain"; the songs in this collection come from 20th-century musicals, ranging from the profound (West Side Story) to the whimsical (Hello, Hamlet). Read the solo story.

A bunch of the boys from the RSC (Reduced Shakespeare Company) were whoopin' it up and devised The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), which bills itself as "all 37 plays in 93 minutes." You can just imagine the level of violence they do to the Swan of Avon in this fast, funny burlesque. Wm. Shkspr. runs July 6-8.

The summer (and the season) winds up with an original piece, A Lear and Present Danger, July 27-29. Using the improv comedy method of commedia dell'arte, this show offers a new--and funny--take on the dramatic classic King Lear.

All Second Stage productions have Friday and Saturday performances at 8:00 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 and there are no reservations. This looks to be a hot summer even if the T&G air conditioning system makes it through to August.

Board and Membership Meetings

The board of directors meets every month; any Town & Gown member may attend. For dates and times, or to propose business for the board, write to President Andy Garrison . . . or collar him at any opening night.

The annual meeting of Town & Gown Players, Inc., takes place in October. Business at that event includes reports from departments and committees as well as elections of the next calendar year's president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Members will receive official notice of the annual meeting by mail, and it will also appear in the Envoy nearest the date.

Board Members and Email Addresses

President	Andy Garrison	president@townandgownplayers.org
Vice-President	Terrell Austin	vicepresident@townandgownplayers.org
Secretary	Nathan Altman	secretary@townandgownplayers.org
Treasurer	Patty Freeman-Lynde	treasurer@townandgownplayers.org
Membership	Kris Schultz-Tanner	membership@townandgownplayers.org
Envoy Editor	Brooke Hatfield	envoy@townandgownplayers.org
Friends of Town & Gown/Development	Amy Miller	development@townandgownplayers.org
Facilities	Allen Rowell	facilities@townandgownplayers.org
Front of House	Kelly McGlaun Fields Amy Wildey	house@townandgownplayers.org
Second Stage	Steven Carroll	secondstage@townandgownplayers.org
Publicity	Dina Canup	publicity@townandgownplayers.org
Season Tickets	Marie Bruce	seasontickets@townandgownplayers.org
Webmaster	Eric Wagoner	webmaster@townandgownplayers.org

Town & Gown Players is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your gifts are tax-deductible.

Town & Gown Players
P.O. Box 565
Athens, Georgia 30603
Lobby and backstage phone: (706) 548-3854
Mainstage reservations: (706) 208-TOWN (208-8696) · Please call during regular business hours

Our website includes great links, a form to place your name on our e-mailing list, a map, photographs, history, features about our upcoming shows, and lots of other information. There's even a page where you can sign up to work as an usher, sell tickets, etc.

Comments, suggestions, or questions regarding the newsletter or Town & Gown membership? Contact Membership Chair Kris Tanner or Envoy Editor Brooke Hatfield.

Brooke Hatfield edits and publishes the Envoy six times a year, more or less. Webmaster Eric Wagoner and Ben Teague designed the online version.

© Town & Gown Players 2007